Watch or clock calendar or date indicator



y .3- H. HOFFMANN 1,906,908

WATCH OR CLOCK CALENDAR OR DATE INDICATOR Filed Feb. 19, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet l $HTOEDOV mun/oar G Mum 5504K IN VENTOR.

A TTORNEY.

May 2, 1933. H. HOFFMANN 1,906,903

WATCH OR CLOCK CALENDAR OR DATE INDICATOR Filed Feb. 19, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 1 N VEN TOR.

ATTORNEY.

Patented May 2, 1933 PATENT OFFICE HENRY HOFFMANN, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI WATCH OR CLOCK CALENDAR B FATE INDICATOR Application filed. February 19, 1932.

My invention relates to calendars and more particularly to watch or clock dial calendars.

The main object of the invention is to provide a means whereby a suitably prepared or equipped watch or clock may act also as a calendar and allow the user to readily and quickly determine upon which day in the Week any date falls or, oppositely, on what date of the month any given day in any week falls.

Another and important object is to provide a dial calendar in the form of a disk or plate simulating a watch dial and bearing the necessary date indicating indicia, this form being an inexpensive advertising medium which will be of lasting utility to the user and being also particularly adaptable for use by the children for their education and enter- 0 tainment.

Another object is to provide a timepiece dial calendar in a simple and readily understandable and usable form and which requires but minor alterations or additions to the timepiece and which will not interfere in any way with the usual use thereof.

A further object is to provide a dial calendar of this kind in which the date or day indicating means or indicia may be applied to the timepiece or dial in a variety of ways.

The foregoing and other objects together with means whereby the same may be carried into effect will best be understood from the following description of the invention taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a face View or elevation of a watch arranged for use also as acalendar in accordance with the invention.

Figure 2 is a similar view of a watch crystal alone prepared or equipped with the necessary indicia.

Figure 3 is a face view of a clock dial showing the calendar indicia printed thereon.

Figure 1- is an elevation of a ring or annular plate adapted for mounting over the face of a timepiece dial and bearing the date indicating indicia.

Figure 5 is a fragmental view of a clock 0 dial showing a modification of the invention.

Serial No. 554,051

Figure 6 is a fragmental view of a clock dial showing one of the date indicating indicia removably mounted thereon.

Figure 7 is an enlarged cross section through the structure shown in Figure 6.

Figure 8 is a face View of a clock equipped with a modification of the calendar ring adapted for mounting over the outside of the clock.

Figure 9 is a side elevation of the structure shown in Figure 8.

Figure 10 is a fragmental detached view of the ring shown in Figure 8 but showing a means for removably attaching or mounting the date indicating means on the ring.

Figure 11 is an enlarged cross section along the line 1111 of Figure 10.

Figure 12 is an elevation of a modification of the invention showing the indicia applied to a disk formed and printed to simulate a watch dial.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings and in Figure 1 thereof the reference character A designates a watch of usual form including a dial or circular plate B around the margin of which are printed or otherwise delineated the hour indicating numerals 1 to 12 in the usual manner. In accordance with my invention these numerals 1 to 12 are also assumed to indicate the months of the year, 1 being January, 2 February and so around the dial to 12 which of course represents December as will be understood. Printed or arranged in any 85 other suitable manner adjacent each of these numerals 1 to 12 and as indicated by the reference numeral 1 are the days of the week upon which the first day of each month falls, for the year 1932, Friday being the day upon which the first day of January falls and being arranged adjacent the numeral 1, Monday being the day upon which the first day of February falls and being arranged adjacent the numeral 2 and so on around the dial. In addition a chart or line of numerals indicated at 2 and including the numerals 1, 8, 15, 22 and 29 is also printed or arranged on the dial at any desired point, these numerals indicating the days of the month upon which the first day and da s one, two, three or four weeks later will fal To find the day of the week upon which any given date falls by the use of the invention as arranged on the watch in the manner described the procedure is as follows. Taking as an example the date January nineteenth the user first refers to the numeral 1 representing January and determines the day of the week upon which the first day of that month falls which is shown to be Friday. The first day bein Friday, the fifteenth day which is two wee s later is also Friday and the nineteenth by simple mental calculation will be seen to be four days later in the week than the fifteenth or Tuesday. The utility of the numerals 1, 8, 15, 22 and 29 will be evident as it allows the user to choose the date nearest the date desired to be located. In the case of the example chosen herein the result might also be as readily determined by figuring back three days from the twenty-second day which is shown to also be Friday. The same procedure is followed in determining the day of the week on which an date falls and it will be apparent that this calculation may be easily and quickly made with very little practice. The invention may also be used to determine the day of the month upon which any given week day falls for instance to determine the date of Labor Day. This is of course the first Monday in September and by reference to the watch dial it is seen that the first day of September falls on Thursday. The first Monday is four days later and therefore the fifth day of the month.

The invention is also particularly useful in determining the date of any meeting or appointment of which the week and day of the week are known. As an example a lodge meeting is known to be on Wednesday of the third Week in March. Referring to the chart 2 the third week of the month is clearly defined and located as extending from the numeral 15 up to but not including the numeral 22 and reference to the hour numeral 3 indicating March shows Tuesday to be the first day of the month and hence these week defining numerals 15 and 22 are likewise Tuesdays. The meeting being on VVednesday in the third week of the month will thus fall the day after Tuesday the 15th or the 16th of the month. The foregoing calculation is simple and is quickly performed with but a little practice and is greatly facilitated by the chart 2 which clearly sets off and indicates the weeks of the month and gives the dates upon which the week days known by reference to the indicia 1 falls for each month. Attention is further called to the educational value of the watch and calendar for the children to its teaching them both to read a watch and a calendar and at the same time to perform mental calculations quickly.

A further use of the dial calendar is to determine the number of days in any month this being accomplished readily as follows. Assuming that it is desired to know the number of days in August reference is had to the numeral 8 representing this month and it is noted that the first of this month falls on Monday. It is known also from the chart 2 that the twenty-ninth of August is Monday. The first day of the following month, September, falls on Thursday and the last day of August is therefore \Vednesday or two days later than the twenty-ninth. August therefore has thirty-one days. The same procedure is followed in determining the number of days in any other month. In addition this feature of the invention avoids any confusion which might arise in determining the date of week days near the end of the month as for instance in determining the date on which Thanksgiving day falls. This is as known the last Thursday in November but reference to the numeral 12 designating the following month shows that December first falls on Thursday therefore the last Thursday in November cannot fall after the twentyninth but must be in the week starting with the twenty-second as indicated by the chart 2.

The arrangement thus far described and as shown in Figure 1 is correct for the year 1932 but must be replaced by a different arrangement for the next year. However each arrangement will also be correct and may be retained for use a number of years later as for instance the first day of each month falls on the same day of the week in 1960 as it does in 1932. In order to facilitate this annual changing of the calendar on the watch the days of the week for the first of each month may be etched, blown, printed or stenciled on the watch cr stal C as shown at 3 in Figure 2 and it thus be necessary only to change the crystal each year. This is simple, inexpensive and readily done without disturbing the hands or dial of the watch and is preferable to printing directly on the dial since the lettering can be arranged on the crystal to lie directly over the proper hour indicating numerals and will avoid any confusion as well as enhance the appearance of the watch. The indicia is preferably placed on the inside of the crystal to protect it from wear. The numerals 1, 8, 15, 22 and 29 forming the line or chart 1 may be printed permanently on the watch dial since they are the same for every year but of course they may also be etched or otherwise marked on the crystal if desired, the latter arrangement being particularly adapted for use in changing present watches to act as a calendar. The same arrangement may of course be employed on the glass or crystal of a clock or other timepiece if desired.

Figure 3 illustrates a clock dial or circular plate D prepared for use as a calendar and in this case the hour indicating numerals 1 to 12 are likewise assumed to indicate the months of the year and the day of the week upon which the first of each month falls is similarly printed or arranged as shown at 1a adja cent the proper numerals. In addition however the name of the month which each numeral indicates is also printed on the dial as shown at 4: and passes through the numerals themselves. It is obvious however, that this arrangement may be varied at will, as for instance, the week days might be printed through the hour indicating figures instead of the names of the months it so desired. in any case the use and procedure in the same. The ordinary clock dial is of metal and is covered with a paper face upon whi the hour numerals are printed and the various indicia may be printed directly upon this paper face and a new one applied to the dial each year.

Where it is not considered desirable to print the various indicia directly on the dial face as set forth above, a detachable and replaceable ring or annular plate 5 (Figure may be employed and the days of the week upon which the first of each month falls printed on this ring as indicated at 16. This ring he of such outer eiameter as to lit closcry within the frame of the clock (not shown) around the dial and will be wide enough to cover the hour indicating numerals thereon. In order to allow a clear view of these numorals the ring may be made or" some thin transparent material such as celluloid or may be made of a suitable metal and apertures (3 cut at radially spaced points over the nu merals. W hen this ring is made of transparent material the indicia may be printed in such position as to lie directly over the numorals on the dial. Atthe end of each year the ring may be readily removed and replaced by a new one as will be understood.

Figure 5 illustrates a modification of the invention in which the dates of the month on which all the Sundays tall are printed or otherwise suitably arranged adjacent the proper hour indicating numerals as shown at 7. Thus in January 1932 the Sundays fall on the 3rd, 10th, 17th, 24th and 31st and these numerals are arranged adjacent the hour numeral 1 and so on around the dial. In addition the names of each month may be printed adjacent the proper hour numeral as at 8 and the word Sundays and numerals 1932 may be printed on the dial as at 9 to indicate the dates shown and the year. The use of this arrangement is very similar to that here inbefore described and may best be described by taking an example as for instance Decemher 21st. By reference to the column of ligures adjacent the numeral 12 which of course indicates December it is seen that the Sun day falling on a date nearest the 21st is the 18th. The 18th being Sunday it is then readily cal culated that the 21st being three days later falls on Wednesday. It is obvious that any other day of the week may be used and shown on the dial in lieu of the Sundays here shown and described and the procedure followed in determining dates will be in all cases the same.

In Figures 6 and 7 the clock dial D is shown as provided with depressions 10 adjacent each hour indicating numeral and a small card holder or pocket 11 including a back 12 and outwardly spaced flanges 13 are secured in these depressions. The days of the week upon which the first day of each month falls or any other desired indicia may then be printed on a small card 141 and placed in the holder 11 as shown. Then as each year ends these cards may be changed or replaced as necessary. Inasmuch as the same card will never be used more than three times in any one arrangement only a comparatively small number of cards will be needed.

As shown in Figures 8 and 9 a calendar ring or annular plate 15 similar to the here inbefore described ring 5 may be mounted over the outside of the clock case E instead of mounted within the clockface and against the dial. The ring 15 tor this purpose has an inner diameter of such dimensions as to just slip over and frictionally engage the periphery of said clock case and the week day indicating indicia 16 is printed or stamped on or in this ring in such position as to lie near the proper hour numerals when the ring is in place. In the form of clock shown in the drawings the ring 15 is slipped back against the circumferential shoulder or enlargement F resulting in a very neat arrangement which may be followed in applying the ring to most clocks.

The ring 15 may of course be made of various materials and the indicia 16 applied thereto by various methods. As an example the ring can be made of a heavy paper or cardboard and the week days printed in usual manner thereon but of course more expensive and elaborate materials and printing methods may be employed to provide a ring of as ornamental or as simple appearance as desired. The use of this ring mounted on the outside of the clock obviates the necessity of touching or removing the hands or dial of the clock to change rings from year to year and allows this work to be readily done in the home.

IVhere it is not desired to remove and replace the ring each year and particularly in the case 01" a ring made of any expensive material the ring may be provided with pockets 17 formed by slitting the material at 18 and forcing the material between these slits outward as shown. Tags or cards 19 of any desired material and bearing the desired indicia may then be removably inserted or mounted in these pockets and replaced and rearranged from year to year as necessary. As yet a further arrangement and particularly in the case of large and ornamental clocks the ring itself might be dispensed with and pockets be formed in some portion of the clock case near the hour numerals to receive cards or tags bearing the indicia.

Figure 12 shows a modified form of the invention particularly useful as an advertising novelty and for children. This form comprises a disk or plate 20 of metal, celluloid, or other suitable material on which is printed or marked in any way the conventional watch dial hour numerals 20 and on which an ear 22 is formed to simulate the stem of a watch. The week day indicating indicia 23, the chart 24 and the year 25 are likewise printed or otherwise provided on the disk. This form of the invention may be used as readily as the previously described arrangements and has the additional advantages of being simple and inexpensive to manufacture whereby it is particularly adapted for use as an advertising novelty and for use by children for their education and entertainment. Advertising matter of any kind may be provided on the front and reverse sides of the disk.

The foregoing are but a few of the possible arrangements or methods of applying the needed indicia to a watch, clock or object simulating a timepiece and all such arrangethe scope of my invention.

It is thought that the utility and manner of use of the invention will be fully understood without further description at this point.

While I have herein set forth certain preferred embodiments and arrangements of my invention it is understood that I may vary from the same in minor details so as best to provide a practical device for the purposes described, not departing from the spirit of the invention and within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a device of the kind described, a plate having a circular margin, indicia arranged around the margin indicating the twelve months of the year, an independent transparent covering for the plate, and cooperative indicia upon the covering and adjacent the month indicating indicia, for imparting supplementary information relative to the respective months.

2. In a device of the kind described, a plate having a circular margin, indicia arranged around the margin indicating the twelve months of the year, an independent transparent covering for the plate, cooperative indicia upon the covering and adjacent the month indicating indicia, for imparting supplementary information relative to the respective months, and cooperative figures upon an element of the assembly for indicatin certain days of the month falling a wee apart.

3. In a device of the kind described, a disk having twelve marginally arranged hour indicia in simulation of a watch dial, and means adjacent each such hour indicia, whereby, assuming that the twelve hour indicia represented also the twelve months of the year, certain definite information may be inferred relative to the several months as so indicated.

4. In a device of the kind described, a late having a circular margin, indicia regu arly arranged around the margin for indicating both twelve hours of the day and also the twelve months of the year, independent cards adapted for positioning adjacent the said indicia, the said cards being marked to import certain definite information relative to the respective months of the year as indicated by the adjacent indicia of the plate, and means for supporting the cards in place.

5. In a device of the kind described, the combination with a primary plate having spaced, marginally arranged indicia indicating the twelve months of the year, of a secondary plate mounted over the rimary plate, the said secondary plate having thereupon spaced, week-day indicia opposite the month indicating indicia of the primary late, for indicating the relation of certain ed da s of the several months to certain days of t e week.

In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature.

HENRY HOFFMANN. 

